Adored by Him: My Blissful Days as the Girl Next Door-Chapter 95 - 94: For Xiaoxiao 66 He’s Jade + Update 4

Before school starts, Zhao Meimei lay sprawled on the sofa like a pancake, staring intently at the TV.

She’s recently become obsessed with a drama about a maid falling in love with a young master.

The maid looked ordinary, naturally failing to catch the young master’s eye. They grew up together, and when the maid came of age, the young master had already married a beautiful, well-matched young lady.

On TV, the maid squatted outside the bridal chamber crying in sorrow. Zhao Meimei lay on the sofa, tears welling in her eyes.

While she was sighing over this aching love like Xi Shi mourning her heart, she heard Da Bao outside on the balcony, shouting with his rough voice, "Zhao Meimei! Meimei!..."

Zhao Meimei hurriedly got up and could only find one slipper, hopping on one foot to the balcony: "What’s up?"

Seeing her, Da Bao’s round face broke into a smile and he waved: "Come down, I’ll treat you to some skewers!"

Zhao Meimei thought of the unfinished drama on TV and hesitated but ultimately chose to go gather with Da Bao. Since the holiday began, they’d only met up once at the start; later, she went to the library every day, and Da Bao never came to find her.

Zhao Meimei casually grabbed a pair of denim shorts, revealing two long, straight legs, paired with a loose T-shirt on top. She messily tied her hair into a ponytail with a band.

Before going out, Zhao Meimei took out the pocket money from Brother Yangyang that he’d given her last week from the dictionary. After thinking for a moment, she stuffed a hundred yuan bill into her pocket.

The factory’s recent performance wasn’t good, with the paycheck dragging from early month to month-end. When it was issued, all bonuses and benefits were zero. The finance office said they’d be distributed at year-end, leaving everyone no choice but to anxiously await the year-end.

Most people in the residential building were dual-income households, relying on this meager wage to support both the elderly and the children, especially for a single-parent family like Da Bao’s—it surely made life more financially constrained.

As Zhao Meimei grew older, her thoughts became more nuanced, and she learned to consider others.

Over the holiday, Da Bao noticeably got darker. He sat in the barbecue shop, holding a meat skewer in one hand and an ice-cold beer in the other, eating voraciously, before sighing heavily: "Damn! I’m starving!"

Zhao Meimei leisurely used a tissue to wipe the skewer tips. Only after wiping did she bite into the skewers one by one, using chopsticks to slide off fatty pieces and toss them on Da Bao’s plate. Da Bao didn’t mind and picked them up with his hands, eating with a great sense of teamwork.

Hearing him speak, Zhao Meimei asked: "Didn’t have lunch?"

Da Bao took another gulp of beer: "Nope."

After finishing a skewer, Zhao Meimei began peeling garlic. The garlic skin was slippery; just as she was about to finish peeling, it slipped from her fingers and dropped onto the table. Zhao Meimei silently picked another clove and continued peeling while asking: "What kept you busy during the holidays? Why didn’t you come find me?"

Da Bao chuckled: "Meimei, you got into Number One, right?"

Zhao Meimei laughed, her face showing pride: "Of course!"

Da Bao looked envious: "You’re amazing; among us friends, I admire you the most."

Suddenly, Da Bao shifted the topic: "Wang Jiayue also got into Number One."

"Wang Jiayue?" Zhao Meimei raised her brow, throwing Da Bao a glance: "Your goddess, huh?"

Da Bao chuckled twice: "Yeah."

Da Bao licked his lips smeared with chili powder and cumin: "Once school starts, help take care of her for me; she’s a bit of a loner."

Zhao Meimei didn’t think much; in her mind, being a loner meant being like Xu Xu, quiet and only playing with her, having no other friends.

Zhao Meimei readily agreed: "Don’t worry, I’ll look after her."

Da Bao didn’t thank Zhao Meimei; between the two of them, those words were never needed.

Under the table, Zhao Meimei kicked Da Bao: "So? Did you win her over?"

Zhao Meimei squinted her eyes, smiling.

Da Bao’s dark, chubby face showed a trace of loneliness. He confided to Zhao Meimei with no hesitation: "No, looks like she really doesn’t fancy me."

Zhao Meimei’s protective streak flared up instantly. Although she knew Da Bao’s appearance might be disheartening, seeing him disliked by outsiders made her feel indignant.

Zhao Meimei’s tone hardened: "Doesn’t fancy you? Is she that special?"

Da Bao lifted his head to glance at Zhao Meimei, then lowered it, his tone seeping with unchecked inferiority: "She’s too good; I don’t deserve her."

Zhao Meimei immediately wanted to retract the promise she’d just made—not wanting to look after someone who disdained her friend; whoever wants to, can do it!

Zhao Meimei was about to speak when Da Bao said: "I didn’t get into high school; I don’t want to go. Next week I’ll learn to cook; you know Black Sister’s dad in Building Two is the chef at the restaurant? My mom talked to him; he’s letting me be an apprentice."

Zhao Meimei was taken aback: "Really not going?"

Da Bao laughed self-mockingly: "You know me; I’m not cut out for studying, spending money on a lousy tech school would be a waste. Better off learning a craft."

For a moment, Zhao Meimei felt confounded. No one around her was dropping out; in her mind, you were supposed to go through school, take high school exams, and head to university.

Da Bao grinned at Zhao Meimei: "I can’t get into Number One, can’t take care of her; you watch over her for me, just don’t let her get bullied."

Looking at Da Bao was like watching the maid that had tugged at her heart in the past two days, feeling sorry.

Ultimately, Zhao Meimei couldn’t bear to refuse, nor could she: "Don’t worry, Wang Jiayue, right? I’ll find her once school starts and befriend her."

Da Bao nodded with a smile: "Okay."

When it came time to pay, Zhao Meimei hurried to do it. Da Bao’s eyes gleamed with gratitude, stepping out of the restaurant, he draped his arm over her shoulder: "When I’m earning, I’ll get you a gift, okay? What do you want?"

Zhao Meimei thought sincerely: "Cook me two dishes and let me taste them, pick your best ones!"

Da Bao clapped her shoulder hard twice: "Sure thing."

Entering home in the evening, Zhao Meimei heard her dad sitting on the sofa making an emotional phone call: "Buyout? Our factory? Is the news reliable?"

Zhao Meimei casually closed the door. Her mom poked her head out from the kitchen, saw her, and quickly said: "Where’ve you been? Go wash up for dinner."

Just as Zhao Meimei was about to speak, her dad exclaimed: "What? You heard earlier?"

Zhao Meimei and her mom both fell silent, listening to her dad’s phone call: "Then, after the buyout? Just a lump sum and that’s it?"

Zhao Meimei changed her shoes, moved to the sofa’s edge, and sat down as her dad sighed: "Don’t worry, I’ve got a handle on this; won’t talk about it with others. You know what kind of person I am; I can keep quiet about things."